Sole-protecting toe ski binding



H. HVAM SOLE-PROTECTING TOE SKI BINDING Filed July 10, 1964 Fig. 2

HJALMAR HVAM INVENTOR.

[ i 3 BUG/(HORN, BLOHE, KLAROU/ST a SPAR/(MAN ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 United States Patent 3,282,599 SGLE-PROTECTKNG T011 SKI BINDING Hjalmar Hvarn, Rte. 1, Box 404, Beaver-ton, Oreg. Filed July 10, 1964, Ser. No. 381,647 11 Claims. ((31. 280-1135) This invention relates to a sole-protecting toe ski binding, and more particularly to a safety to-e ski binding protecting the sole of a ski boot used therewith.

There are known safety toe ski bindings of types having a pair of ski boot sole end engaging ridges formed on an end of a pivotal arm. Such ridges are essential to hold the ski boot. However, the lower ends of the ridges tend to engage the-end of the sole between the top and the bottom of the sole and tend to tear up and separate layers of the toe end of the sole. Metal sole protectors are often used with such bindings but have not been effective to prevent the lower edges of the ridges from tearing up the sole ends. It would be desirable to provide a ski binding adapted to avoid such damage.

An object of the invention is to provide a sole-protecting toe ski binding.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety toe ski binding protecting the sole of a ski boot used therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toe ski binding having ridges having no sharp ends which would dig into the end of the sole of a ski boot held by the binding.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a safety ski binding in which the toe end of a sole of a ski boot is prevented from engaging the lower ends of ridges of a swivel member thereof.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved safety toe binding having a swivel member provided with ridges adapted to fit into notches in a soleprotecting plate positioned on the bottom of the sole of a ski boot.

The invention provides a sole-protecting toe ski binding including a base fixed to the ski, a swivel member provided with sole-engaging ridges and means preventing the lower ends of the ridges from digging into the end of a sole of a ski boot. Preferably the ridges extend downwardly into a groove in the base which prevents engagement of the sole by the lower ends of the ridges.

A toe ski binding forming one specific embodiment of the invention includes a base and an arm pivotally mounted on the base at one end thereof. The arm has spaced ridges and an adjustable overhanging lip at the free end thereof for engaging the end of the sole of a ski boot, and the lower ends of the ridges project into an upwardly facing groove in the base.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of a soleprotecting toe ski binding forming a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, top plan view of a ski having thereon a sole-protecting toe ski binding forming one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the binding in engagement with the sole of a ski boot;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of a base of the binding of FIG. 1; and FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a ski 11) having thereon a sole-protect- 3,282,539 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 ing toe ski binding 11 against which the forward edge of a sole 12 (FIG. 3) of a ski boot 13 is urged by a cable (not shown) of a known resilient heel binding (not shown). The heel binding is one of the type in which a resilient pull is placed on the heel binding cable, and this tension on the cable may be manually adjusted, one excellent ski binding for this purpose being that disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 198,- 821, filed May 31, 1962, now Patent No. 3,147,986, which will release the tension of the cable when there is a maximum safe stress on the cable. The toe binding 11 includes an arm or swivel 21 which normally occupies a directly rearwardly extending position, as illustrated in full linesin FIG. 1, and when maximum safe lateral thrust is applied to the free rear end of the arm 21, the arm will swing to one side of the longitudinal centerline of the ski to release the ski boot. The arm 21 is pivoted on a base 22 fastened to the ski by screws 23, and is normally held by detent means against movement relative to the base in the normal position as shown in FIG. 1, as is described in detail h-ereinbelow. The detenting power holding the arm 21 in its normal, rearwardly extending position is increased when the arm is urged upwardly relative to the base 22.

The arm 21 (FIGS. 2 and 3) includes an elongated arm body 24 having at the free end thereof a vertical keying or splining guideway 25, which is T-shaped in transverse cross section. The free end or jaw portion of the arm has at the corners thereof a pair of sharp, parallel, generally vertical ribs or ridges 26. The ridges 26, when the arm 21 is in its normal, rearwardly extending position, are substantially equidistantly spaced from the centerline of the ski 10 on opposite sides of the centerline of the ski. The ridges 26 are adapted to engage the toe end of the sole 12 of the ski boot 13 and to fit into notches 27 in a metal protector plate 28 (FIG. 5) secured to the bottom of the sole by screws 22.

An adjustment screw 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2) having a knurled and slotted head 31 also has a threaded shank 32 provided with an annular groove 33. The screw fits into an unthreaded se rni-cylindrical groove 34 in the arm 21, and a semi-annular key 35 of the arm projects into the groove 33 to hold the screw against movement longitudinally of groove 34 while permitting turning movement of the screw in the groove 34. The screw is threaded into -a tapped semi-cylindical groove 36 in a shank or slide 37 of a presser of jaw 38. The presser has an arouate, overhanging lip 39 adapted to engage the front end portion of the top of the sole 12 of the ski boot 13 and hold the toe end of the sole against upward movement relative to the binding. The shank 37 of the presser .is splined in the guideway 25 of the arm, and the screw 30 may be turned to adjust the presser up or down to position the lip 39 where desired. The lip has rounded corners 40 to provide clearance for the shoe.

The arm 21 has a shaft 51 (FIGS. 2 and 4) extending loosely through bore 52 and upper c'ounterbore 53 into lower, enlarged recesses or .oounterbore 54 in the base 22. The base is substantially thicker at the central portion thereof than at its peripheral edges, and, in elfect, is slightly crowned, the edges thereof being rather thin. The arm 'has an elongated sleeve 55 fitting closely on the exterior of elongated cylindrical, sleeve-(like boss 56 of the base, and is freely slidable along and freely rotatable on the boss 56. Bore 57 in the sleeve 55 is concentric to the shaft 51, and a boss portion 58 in the central part of the bore forms a springseat, joins the shaft to the arm and is spaced inwardly from the wall of the bore 57 to provide an annular clearance recess 60 for the upper end of the sleeve-like boss 56 during assembly of the components of the binding 11.

A washer 71 (FIGS. 2 and has a U-shaped slot 72 therein and has straight, parallel, keying portions 70 slid- :able into and complementary to a U-shaped groove 73 in the lower end of the shaft 51. The sides of the groove 73 are straight, and key the washer to the shaft. Frustoconical detent pins 74 formed integrally on the washer normally extend upwardly into detent or camming recesses or sockets 75 (FIG. 2) in the end of the lower counterbore 54 when the arm 21 is in its normal position in which it is held by a compression spring 76 (FIG. 2) in its uppermost position extending directly rearwardly along the ski. The upper portion of the washer is relieved or rounded and the depth of the recesses 75 is less than the length of the detent pins 74 so that there is no contact between the top of the Washer and the end of the co-u-nterbore except by the detent pins 74.

In order to prevent any engagement and digging into the sole of the ski boot by lower ends 81 of the ridges 26 of the arm 21, the ridges 26 are made sufficiently long as to extend into an arcuate clearance groove 82 and below a raised a-rcuate protector portion or rib 83 of the base 22. Thus, the lower ends 81 of the ridges are positioned completely below the lowermost portion of the toe end of the sole 12. Upper ends 84 of the ridges are beveled or sloping so that these upper ends do not tend to gouge or tear the end of the sole 12. The upper ends 84, while being near the top of sole 12, are spaced downwardly somewhat from lip 39 of the presser 38 to provide for vertical adjustment of the presser 38 throughout the desired range of adjustment. The groove 82 provides clearance for downward and swinging movement of the ridges 2 5 and downwardly extending portion 88 of the arm 21.

To assemble the binding 11, the presser 38 is drawn up into the 'guideway 25 by the screw 30, the spring 76 is placed on the shaft 51, and the shaft is inserted into the bore 52. Then, with the arm 21 extending crosswise and slightly forwardly of the base 22 so that the downwardly extending portion 88 of the arm is :positioned outwardly beyond the outer side edge of the base, the arm is pressed downwardly relative to the base to a position in which the groove 73 .is positioned below the bottom of the base. Then the washer 71 is slid onto the shaft, the arm is released and the spring 76 pushes the arm up until the pins 74 of the washer 71 engages the end of the counterbore 54. The arm then is swung manually to its normal, detented position extending rearwardly over the base.

When a condition approaching danger arises during skiing, as in a fall, for example, the ski boot is twisted with a suflicient force to turn the :arm 21, which causes the detent pins 74 to cam out of the recesses 75. This moves the arm downwardly toward the ski against the actions of the spring 76 and the upward force of the sole 12 of the ski boot 13 against the lip 39. Then the detent pins ride on the plane end face of the counterbo-re 54 as further turning of the arm occurs, and when one of the ridges 26 goes over center relative to the centerline of the ski, the arm swings freely to a collapsed or non-holding position extending laterally of the ski. However, in the execution of a turn where high holding power is needed, the sole of-the ski boot tends to twist about the longitudinal axis of the sole to exert a strong lifting force on the lip 39 of the presser 38. This holds the detent pins 74 upwardly in the detent recesses 75 with sufficient force to prevent turning of the arm despite the strong turning force exerted on the arm by the ski boot during the execution of the turn by the skier.

The above-described toe ski binding 11 holds the ski boot with one holding force for skiing without turning and provides a much stronger holding force while turning occurs. The ridges 26 engage and strongly hold the end of the sole 12 over all but a small fraction of the thickness of the sole, and engage the lower portion of the sole with the lower ends of the ridges positioned below the bottom of the sole so that gouging of the sole is prevented.

Also, since the ridges engage the lower portion of the end of the sole, the bottom, protector plate 28 may be used, the protector plate being positioned on the bottom of the sole so that it can be large enough to be securely fastened by large screws to the sole. Also, the protector plate does not detract from the appearance of the boot since it is not visible normally. The bindings are very rugged and durable, and have minimum numbers of parts, the binding 11 having only four parts and the binding five.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangernents are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arr-angernents may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toe-holding clamp for a ski,

a base means adapted to be secured to a ski,

arm means having one end pivotally secured to the base and having a pair of generally vertical, sole-engaging ridges spaced apart and extending downwardly to a predetermined level,

and support means on the base means in front of the ridges having a supporting surface above said level for holding entirely above the bottoms of the ridges the front end of a sole of a ski boot positioned on the ski.

2. In a toe-holding clamp for a ski,

a base having a pivot portion and also having an arcuate recess positioned behind and concentric with the pivot portion,

and arm means having a pivot end portion pivotally connected to the pivot portion of the base and also being providedwith a jaw end portion having a toeengaging portion extending downwardly into the recess.

3. In combination,

a substantially flat metal sole-protecting plate lying substantially wholly in a plane and adapted to be secured to the bottom of the toe end portion of a sole of a ski boot and having a pair of laterally spaced vertically extending notches in the front edge portion thereof extending from the upper face of the plate to the lower face of the plate,

base means adapted to be secured to a ski,

and arm means pivotally mounted on the base means and having an end portion provided with a pair of vertical ridges adapted to enter the notches in the sole-protecting plate.

4. The combination of claim 3 including overhanging lip means carried by the arm means for engaging the top of the toe end of the sole of a ski boot,

and means for adjusting the lip means vertically relative to the base means.

5. In a toe-holding clamp for a ski,

a base having a pivot portion and also having an upwardly facing arcuate groove concentric with the pivot portion, extending substantially from side to side of the base and positioned at the rear of the pivot portion,

and an arm having a pivot portion connected to the pivot portion of the base and a free end portion positioned above the base for movement over the base,

the free end portion of the arm having a pair of vertical ridges extending downwardly into the arcuate groove.

6. The toe-holding clamp of claim 5 including overhanging lip means carried by the free end portion of the arm for engaging the top of the toe end of the sole of a ski boot.

7. The toe-holding clamp of claim 6 including means for adjusting the lip means vertically relative to the base.

8. In a toe ski binding for a ski,

a base having a pivot portion and also having a raised, arcuate protecting portion positioned rearwardly of the pivot portion and substantially concentric therewith,

and arm means having a first portion pivoted to the pivot portion of the base and a free end portion spaced rearwardly along the arm from the first portion,

the free end portion of the arm means being provided with an overhanging lip and also having a pair of laterally spaced, vertical ribs,

the lower end portions of the arm means extending downwardly to positions below the top of the raised, arcuate protecting portion.

9. In a toe ski binding,

a base having a vertical sleeve portion positioned inwardly a predetermined distance from a lateral edge thereof and also having a raised arcuate protecting portion concentric with the sleeve portion,

the base also having a counterbore at the bottom thereof and concentric with the sleeve portion,

an arm having a shaft portion adapted to extend downwardly through the sleeve portion and the counterbore and provided with a transverse keying slot at the lower end thereof,

a slotted washer adapted to interlock with the keying slot and move into the counterbore,

and a compression spring on the shaft and urging the arm upwardly relative to the base,

the washer being moved out of the counterbore for removal from and attachment to the shaft by pressing the arm downwardly relative to the base,

the arm being provided at one end thereof with a jaw portion having a pair of vertical ridges extending below the arcuate protecting portion,

the jaw portion being spaced sufficiently from the shaft that, when'the arm is turned to a generally transverse position relative to the base, the jaw portion is positioned laterally beyond the lateral edge of the base to permit extensive downward movement of the arm relative to the base.

10. In a toe ski binding,

a base having a sleeve-like, upwardly extending boss portion and also having a bore and a counterbore positioned below and aligned with the sleeve portion, the base also having a detent recess in the upper end of the counterbore,

an arm having a sleeve portion journaled on the boss portion, a shaft extending through the boss portion, the bore and the counterbore and a jaw portion the shaft having at the lower end thereof a transverse keying and interlocking portion,

a washer adapted to key with and interlock with the shaft and having a detent projection adapted to enter the detent recess and to space the adjacent surface of the washer away from the end of the counterbore at all times,

and a spring urging the arm upwardly relative to the base.

11. In a toe-holding clamp for a ski,

an elongated base having a pivot portion and also having a recess positioned behind the pivot portion and extending across the base,

and arm means having a pivot end portion pivotally connected to the pivot portion of the base and also being provided with a jaw end portion having a toeengaging portion extending downwardly into the recess and movable along the recess when the arm means is pivoted relative to the base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1963 Hvam 280-1135 3,105,696 10/1963 Rehacek 280-1135 FOREIGN PATENTS 916,637 8/1946 France.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

I. H. BRANNEN, Assistant Examiner, 

1. IN A TOE-HOLDING CLAMP FOR A SKI, A BASE MEANS ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A SKI, ARM MEANS HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE BASE AND HAVING A PAIR OF GENERALLY VERTICAL, SOLE-ENGAGING RIDGES SPACED APART AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY TO A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, AND SUPPORT MEANS ON THE BASE MEANS IN FRONT OF THE RIDGES HAVING A SUPPORTING SURFACE ABOVE SAID LEVEL FOR HOLDING ENTIRELY ABOVE THE BOTTOMS OF THE RIDGES THE FRONT END OF A SOLE OF A SKI BOOT POSITIONED ON THE SKI. 